"What do you mean we should get married within a month?" I ask, finding Grandma's condition utterly bogus.
Even if it's for business purposes, how the hell am I supposed to know about a girl enough to marry her within a month?
"Mom that's a little—"
"You stay out of this, Elliot," Grandma rebukes Dad, and he immediately goes silent, but he smiles at his mom anyway.
"Now, back to you Desmond. I mean exactly what I said. You boys need to get married within a month to the girls that I've selected for you. I'm sure you already know why so I won't get into that, but the one who manages to get married within a month gets to be in the top list of my inheritance list."
"I'll do it," Calvin immediately answers.
Sheesh. He can't even hide how money hungry he is can he? Bald idiot.
"I can't," I refute.
I know I want to crush Calvin but tying myself to a woman whom I'm sure I won't be giving any love isn't the way to go. I just met Leilani again for fucks sake. My heart even fluttered a million times like it did when I was a teenage boy. I want to feel that sensation again, but getting married to someone means I have to forget about it and stop dreaming, right? And what if the woman I marry ends up being clingy despite my clearly not being in love with her?
"Are you sure you don't want to join the trials? Failure to cooperate means Calvin gets all my shares, and I'll gladly transfer them to him tonight if you deny me this fun."
Fun? Man, this old woman is mad.
"Can't I at least choose whom I want to marry?" I ask, knowing fully well Leilani won't agree to such a stupid request. She's too smart for these mind games, and even though her situation might be tough, I know she's making the best of it. Which leaves me with my second-best option:
A fake marriage with my hookup in exchange for money, at least until I manage to secure the shares that is.
"Go ahead and try. But you have to give me good news before you leave and the girl has to be cultured and should come from a decently rich family," Grandma replies.
Mom shifts in her seat. Probably because she's getting uncomfortable. Her family isn't rich, and we all know she and Dad met at the store where she worked in her twenties. Dad said he walked in on her dancing to music whilst restocking noodles on their shelves. He claims it was love at first sight.
Cliché right? I know.
Pulling out my phone, I stand from my chair. "Well if you'll excuse me then."
Minutes later I'm standing in the lavish gold and cream-themed bathroom, calling Pandora. She's been my friend with benefits ever since I moved to California eight years ago, and her family is in the real estate business so they're loaded. Now if she just agrees to play house with me in exchange for money that'd be wonderful, but the chances of her agreeing to this a zero to none.
Immediately after the call connects, I hear a moaning sound coming from her.
"What the fuck? Pandora, are you having sex right now?" I ask.
It's only been a few hours since I told her I might not return there and she's already moved on. We each promised not to sleep around with other people during our hookup era but she's already broken that rule in mere hours.
"You said you might not return," she replies letting out another moan.
My dick immediately bulges in my pants and I have to force myself to focus.
"Please stop moaning into the microphone I'm at my family's place. And can you go somewhere where the fuck boy can't hear you?"
"Oh, my bad. Hey, can we stop for a second? This is important." I hear the dude she's fucking groaning, but judging by the way the creaking sound of a door comes next, she's managed to set herself free. "So, what's up?"
Now how do I say this?
"Umm, so this may come off as me being clingy but I assure you, it's the truth—"
"Just spill the tea, Desmond. I'm too horny for bullshit."
Talk about unhinged.
"Right. Umm…will you marry me?"
Silence.
"Don't get me wrong, it's not because I want us to be something more but my Grandma told me Calvin and I need to get married within a month or else we're off her inheritance list."
Silence yet again.
"Pandora?"
"Sorry Des, but no. I'm still enjoying my single life right now and marrying you will leave a bad record when we divorce later. Besides, I want my first wedding to be with the man I love and that isn't you, unfortunately."
"I know but can't you just do this for a friend? I'll guarantee you a million dollars if you—"
"My dad can give me that much if I call him right now Desmond. I said no and that's that. Good luck with finding a desperate chick though. Bye, I've got dick waiting for me, though I'd have preferred yours since it's bigger." Having said that, Pandora cuts the call.
Fuck.
Guess I'm stuck going on a blind date with one of Grandma's picks. In mere seconds I'm back in the dining room where pictures are set before Grandma whilst Calvin browses through them like he's in some kind of auction.
"So?" Grandma asks when she sees me sitting next to her.
All eyes land on me and I sigh. "When do the blind dates start?"
"That's my boy," Dad chuckles whilst grandma pushes a stack of pictures in my direction.
"Here, choose a girl who suits your interests and I'll set a date for you."
I scoff, running my fingers over the pictures. "Just how many friends do you have?"
"More than you can imagine. Now will you focus?"
I clear my throat and turn my attention to the pictures, shoving them aside and tossing the few that I pick up.
Hmm, too much botox. Too innocent looking. Nope, she's a baddie she'll give me trouble. Ah, the boss lady. She's beautiful. Damn, look at those lips.
In mere seconds, I turn into a perverted 28-year-old freak looking through pictures for an unsuspecting victim to lure into a forced marriage. It is during my rummaging of the pictures that I spot one in the far corner of the table's middle.
That black curly hair, those full pink lips, those striking gray eyes. Nah it can't be…or can it?
Standing, I'm about to reach for the picture when Calvin suddenly snatches it away from the table and raises it.
"Damn, she's beautiful. Hmm, she looks a little familiar," he mumbles scanning the image.
My body goes stiff when I realize it's her. I reach over to snatch the picture from Calvin's hand but he moves just in time for me to miss.
"Woah there little brother. I picked her first."
"Because you noticed me looking at it."
"Desmond! Just what do you think of your brother?" Mom defends Calvin but I know I'm right. He only picked the picture because he saw me looking at it…and because he knows who she is.
After all, she's the reason we fought during dinner all those years ago and had to be transferred to California.
Leilani Mayfield.
"I've decided. I want to go on a blind date with her," Calvin grins, looking at me with a victorious look in his eyes.
I grit my teeth. "I saw the picture first Calvin."
"But I picked it first meaning, I win."
"Desmond!" Mom barks but I ignore her.
"You give that back right now, Calvin."
"Or what?" He taunts.
Without thinking I stand and ready myself to attack him, but not before Grandma slaps the table and yells:
"You two sit your butts down right now or I'll donate my shares to a charity organization!"